- Coronet, Corellia...Jedi Orphanage #76....

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<"...the children are growing by leaps and bounds. Far beyond my scope as a single scientist and I have requested additional help from the Republic Scientific Division. I’m not sure these administrators knew what a personnel heavy endeavor this was going to be when they assigned me to monitor the orphanage on Bothawui and Corellia. Though the failure on Bothawui is complete, there is still some clean-up left to do there. And that will require personnel trained in wiping and scrubbing datadrives.

It’s truly a shame that all of the children on Bothawui died. I’m not sure what went wrong. Or why the statistics of those children, who died and these children on Corellia; who are thriving can be so similar with such a radically different result. Time will tell. We are continuing our measured protocol and have some general information to report.

Alpha 001 thru 005 have all exceeded our expectations.

Alpha 001 – The first Zabrak is already showing signs of advanced leadership and complex problem-solving skills far beyond that of his physical age.

Alpha 002 – The first of the two twin Mirialan girls is of such an advanced intelligence that we have had to do more to hide some of our work. She’s starting to figure it out and thereby inform the others of exactly what’s going on.

Alpha 003 – The experiment of the two Mirialan sisters is still withdrawn. She keeps to herself, but the extra protocols have affected her to such a degree that the two twin sisters, no longer look like twins. At age 10, she is already the height of an average humanoid female and of physical capability significant to warrant training droids in place of actual live specimen.

Alpha 004 – The next Zabrak is showing signs of deceit and guile, part of his protocol. We’ve heightened his aggressive tendencies to further integrate the protocol with his racial predeterminations. Zabrak are an aggressive race. 004 is already at a level that makes him difficult to control. And the others are seeing it. Luckily, they are at a level able to control him. Especially 001.

Last but not least, Alpha 005, the Ratataki, has made a remarkable breakthrough. With a combination of genetic skeletal-muscular stimulation to enhance his ability to take on stronger drugs, we have been able to simulate growth within his mind. His skill and education level are of the twelfth year of a secondary school education. Quite a change for a child who had an IQ of 10 with a severe mental handicap. I consider 005 our biggest achievement at the moment and worthy of sharing at the next scientific conference.

This is Dr. Vizu Hardiman…end of general entry log 345…>

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“Give that back!!!” Karolin screamed as she jerked the Nerf toy away from the one who snatched it from her. Mrysti was quick to come up behind her sister, but she merely stared at the offender. As per usual, all she did was glare. Mrysti took no action against the Zabrak boy who took the toy. Getting to her knees, Karolin shoved the boy away. “Devil!!” She screamed in response. It was what she often called her pod mate. A derogatory term she used on anyone with horns, more often than not aimed at Hamner. Everyone knew Hamner was typically the bringer of disorder in their harmonious pod.

The disruption drew the attention of the others as two other boys looked up from what they were doing to stare at the three crowded around one another in the center of the playing field. The pod was not small by any means. Self-contained, the orphanage often grouped children of like psychological mind together. The playing field sat in the center of their small community, it was the center of their world. Halls led to other parts of the pod from the center. There was an eating area, sleeping area, learning center and fresher cubicle. The fresher where they learned the proper hygiene techniques for their respective cultures. Another reason children of like genetics were grouped together. It was easier to teach and groom them.

Getting up from the dusty ground, Trea’vor dusted himself off and looked at his ‘brother’. The Ratataki, another pod mate, but one he considered his actual brother nonetheless. Marstel looked at Trea’vor and together they moved toward the other group. Marstel followed Trea’vor everywhere. He was slow, not incredibly bright, but loyal. He regarded Trea’vor much the same way Trea’vor regarded him, though he never spoke; if ever. Speech was hard for Marstel.

“What’s goin’ on?!?” Trea’vor looked down on the group, placing his hands on his hips as he looked from Karolin to Hamner. His eyes locked on Hamner. Turmoil in the pod was traditionally his fault. Getting up in a scramble, Hamner put his face close to Trea’vor, ready to plead his case.

“She started it. All I wanted was the Nerf…”

Pursing his lips, Trea’vor looked down. Also, a Zabrak, a race from the wild planet of Dathomir, that was the only commonality Trea’vor and Hamner shared. The same age, they were not biological brothers. Hamner was regarded as something all of the others tolerated.

“It wasn’t yours…we’ve been over this.”

“I don’t care!” Hamner struck out. His fist swinging wildly toward Trea’vor as the other boy backed up. Marstel was quick to intervene. A head taller than all of the others, Marstel moved in between Trea’vor and Hamner almost immediately. He took the punch that was meant for Trea’vor. It was observed by the Jedi that monitored the orphanage; that Marstel possessed uncanny resilience to pain. Diagnosed with a mental deficiency, Marstel was often the one who took the beatings and pain meant for others. Almost always throwing himself between any disputes.

The punch landed hard. The strike making Marstel turn his head from the blow. But he slowly turned his eyes back toward Hamner. Not raising a fist or a hand to the other boy, Marstel only shook his head ‘no’. The look in his eye saying all he needed to in order to dissuade Hamner from trying it again. It didn’t work. Hamner tried to swing again. The blaring sound from the monitor droid stopped all of the children cold. Karolin stood up suddenly at the sound of the alarm, looking at her sister.

>

The doors to the pod flew open as a rush of brown robes and feet entered the main hallway. All of the children lined up, one next to the other. They knew their place and what would happen next. The Matron made it very clear on previous occasions. There would be order, there must always be order.

Their eyes and heads cast down in shame, all the children saw were the brown shoes of the Matron as she made her way to them. Slowly pacing from one to the other. The Matron saw it all. Alpha pod was one of the pods she allowed to sometimes police themselves. But due to the addition of Republic Scientist it was always being observed in some fashion. Trea’vor had a proven record of settling disputes among the others. But any act of violence was always a cause to intervene. It was protocol, routine. And the Matron was nothing if she wasn’t routine.

Placing a finger under Hamner’s chin, she raised his head and eyes to her. They seemed to glow with a yellow light as she looked down on him.

“This is becoming a habit, child…”, she spoke in no uncertain terms. Her voice always soft. The children could tell from the change in her subtlety when it had an edge and violence against one another always brought out that edge. She removed her finger and stepped back. Looking from one to the other. Eventually allowing her eyes to settle on Karolin. “We all must learn to live together in harmony…” The Matron approached Karolin and placed the same finger under Karolin’s chin raising her eyes and head up. “That also means…we learn to share.”

Shaking his head slightly, Trea’vor knew what was coming next and the argument that would follow. It was a lecture on sharing your possessions in hopes that someday you would let them go. The Jedi were kind to the children, but their ideals didn’t sit well with ten-year olds. And the few toys the children possessed, they thought of as their own. More so for Karolin and Mrysti, who only possessed those two stuffed animals. It was not only their only toy it was all they had from where they came from. Trea’vor knew that, he also knew that Hamner purposely picked on Karolin because his attempts at taking her toys always elicited an emotional response. The times he took the other sister, Mrysti’s toy, he got no such response. Mrysti was always happy to share, in fact she reveled in it. Any attention given to Mrysti was always given back in kind.

“These possessions…” The matron plucked the Nerf from Karolin’s arm, to which, Karolin gave a scowl. “…they are nothing more than material ties to a galaxy that you don’t need. You must learn to let go of these things and grasp onto a larger world…I have tried to teach you that.” The Matron gestured behind her at the other two Jedi who followed her inside the pod. “We all have.” Clutching the toy, the Matron started to pace again. Karolin was the only child with her head up, her eyes watery, but her face twisted in anger as she kept her gaze locked on the toy in the Matrons hand. “As such…I am removing the rest of these toys from the—“ The Matron’s sentence was cut off as Karolin launched out a hand and grabbed the stuffed Nerf in the Force, pulling it back to her. Karolin clutched it tightly as the Matron spun around, her face losing all expression. “You will learn control…young one…”

Approaching, the Matron reached down and took the toy back. She did not use the Force, though she eluded to it. Such a blatant display of power, it was forbidden within the confines of the pod. There were special areas for that which the Force Sensitive children were taken to daily.

“But it wasn’t his…” Trea’vor spoke under his breath. The Matron’s head snapped Trea’vor’s direction as he spoke.

“Trea’vor…” The Matron purred, “…you have something to say on this matter?” There was a slight edge to her voice as she questioned the boy.

Looking up, Trea’vor met the eyes of the Matron defiantly. “I said…it wasn’t his. Karolin was just defending against—“

“Defending? There is nothing to defend, have I not stated that before?”

Nodding his head, Trea’vor looked back down. “Though you may not possess the Force…” The Matron was speaking to Trea’vor, but her eyes soon glanced over to Marstel, “…you can still live by its tenets. These things…they mean nothing. What matters, is right here.” She bent down at the waist and poked a bony finger in the young Trea’vor’s chest. “This is what matters, what is in your heart.”

Standing back up to her full height she allowed her gaze to pass from one to the other in turn. There would be punishment, more so since that Karolin used the Force to try and take back the toy and even more that Trea’vor had spoken in defense of her. The Matron did not speak, letting out a sigh. Glancing behind her she nodded slightly to the two Jedi who moved forward taking Karolin and Hamner out of the line. Hamner fought back, but was quickly subdued by the Jedi who removed them both, kicking and screaming down the hall the Jedi came from.

Moving out of line slightly, Marstel started to move after them. The Matron shot him a glare and Marstel stopped. She shook her head ‘no’ at him. “Not this time, Marstel…both of them have earned time in the meditation room, so they can reflect on what they have done.” She looked at Mrysti who was looking directly at her. Mrysti’s red irises piercing a hole through the Matron, “Your sister will be fine…you have all spent time in there.”

That really wasn’t the point. The Matron didn’t get it. Alpha pod was a tight group. An attack against one was an attack against all. And in that case, as Trea’vor looked up and over at his ‘brother’ and ‘sister’, the attack was unwarranted. The Matron didn’t have the inside information that the rest of them did. Hamner was just causing trouble and as much as she wished for all of them to live by the tenets of the Jedi, there were somethings that just couldn’t be let go. Mrysti clutched at her own stuffed toy as the matron left. The toy that was the only link to the life that she and her twin sister had lost.

--

Tears ran down Karolin’s face, but not tears of sadness; tears of anger. She cried when she was angry. Next to her in the adjacent room, she knew Hamner was there. Karolin could feel his presence. For a moment, she thought of reaching out and ‘touching’ him. Doing something to try and right the wrong he inflicted on her. She shook her head and wiped her face of the tears. There was no way she was going to cry for him or for the offense against her. Lightly she heard the laughter from the next room. Karolin slapped the wall.

“Shut up!!!”

The laughter increased and Karolin slapped the wall again. She began to scream. The wall seemed to vibrate with her voice. Cracks began to appear in the wall as the laughter abruptly stopped. Again, a massive display of power that was unauthorized. Hamner stopped laughing, in part, because of that; he didn’t want the Matron to come back and chaste them again. But, Hamner was also afraid. On the rare occasions that he was able to push on Karolin, he was often afraid of the response he got from the Mirialan. It excited him on a level he was not familiar with. It made his blood turn, appealing to a part of himself he was not familiar with. The Zabrak genes he carried that longed for war and conflict, emotions he couldn’t possibly understand at his age and under the tutelage of the Jedi.

A part of him actually felt sorry for what he’d done. The part that the Jedi had actually reached. Hamner looked down to the cushion he sat on and frowned. Pushing closer to the wall, he ran his hand up one of the cracks that only a moment before wasn’t there. Hamner pressed the side of his face against the wall, whispering.

“Karolin…are you there?” There was no answer, but Hamner could feel her on the other side. The Force, as weak as it was within him, allowed that. He smiled wickedly, “Karolin…I’m sorry.” He didn’t really mean it. It was another attempt to get a response from her.

Closing her eyes, Karolin wrapped her arms around her knees and pulled in. Rocking back and forth, diving deep within herself to block out Hamner. He was just going to keep teasing if she gave any kind of response.

--

Entering the room, Dr. Hardiman sat the tablet down and smiled condescendingly at the Jedi Matron. He didn’t ask to come in or even knock on the door, entering her office of his own accord. It annoyed the very proper Matron to no end, but she said nothing. Adding a little more Jedi calm to her day, by exhaling a calming breath. Dr. Hardiman was already having a seat on the other side of her desk.

“As much as I respect the tenets of the Jedi…” Dr. Hardiman began speaking in a soft and lecturing tone. “…I must once again ask that you not run these pods under supervision of the Republic Scientific Division as if they are normal pods. They are not normal, nor are the children within them.”

Standing up, the Doctor picked up his tablet and bowed slightly. He said what he came to say, knowing the Matron would continue to ignore him. Surprisingly, the Matron spoke up and what she said gave him pause.

“…I pray for you.” Dr. Hardiman turned back around at the words. “…everyday, during my meditations. I ask the Force to give you guidance enough to go back and tell the Republic that what they are doing is not only unethical, it’s morally wrong. These are children. And as much as you desire for us to simply leave them be it is my duty to remind you that this is not some ‘half-way’ house where you or anyone who passes through those doors can come and go as you please.” The Matron stood up, placing her hands behind her back; one clutching the other tightly. “I’m not a scientist, Doctor. I don’t pretend to know what it is you hope to gain by torturing these children and it is beyond me why, in their infinite wisdom, the Jedi Order would agree to such things. But this….I do know…” Raising a finger to make a point, the Matron’s eyes shot toward the Doctor. “…we have done better for the galaxy teaching children our tenets of good and moral thought. We have trained the lost to be good and productive citizens. And most all of them have gone on to lead very productive lives. I have been doing this a very long time, Doctor and not once have I seen anything the Republic Sciences Division produces equate to the work we do here.”

After a long pause, the Doctor smiled. Walking back in, he shut the door and looked back to make sure no one was coming in. The Matron sat back down at her desk and made ready to look busy. Even as the Doctor resumed his seat. Clearly, the Doctor had more to say in rebuttal.

“Master Jedi…” The Doctor began sarcastically. “…that was a thoughtful, intelligent and well-rehearsed response. I say well-rehearsed because I saw you practicing it last week after the other incident in the Alpha pod involving the older Mirialan girl and the Zabrak boy.” The Matron looked up to see the Doctor giving her a wicked smile. Her expression remained placid. “I am going to share with you something I am not authorized to share. Only because you have brought my work here into question.” The Doctor lost the smile. “We are creating weapons here, Master Jedi. One-hundred percent pure, enhanced and augmented weapons. Those children, they will be come the guardians of the Republic. You say you are rearing children to be productive citizens…I am giving the Republic something it will truly need.”

After standing up once again, the Doctor snatched the door open and turned before walking away. “I am no longer asking. Now that you know, understand that anything from this point forward is no longer a request, but an order. You will cease to impress upon those children in Alpha pod any of your Jedi tenets. From now on, all disciplinary matters will go through me. I hope I’ve made myself clear….”